Zeer groot hert 1740 - 1767

Editor: So, this is "Zeer groot hert," or "Very large deer," an engraving by Johann Elias Ridinger, created sometime between 1740 and 1767. It's strikingly serene, almost stately, the deer framed against this dramatic landscape. What resonates with you when you look at this piece? Curator: The stag is a recurring symbol, isn’t it? We find it in cave paintings, medieval tapestries, and here, in a baroque print. Its antlers are particularly evocative, carrying echoes of power, nobility, but also vulnerability, the shedding and regrowth representing cycles of life. Do you notice how the landscape both supports and perhaps confines the creature? Editor: I hadn't thought about the landscape that way, but I see what you mean. It's both a backdrop and kind of a...cage almost. What does that tell us about the relationship between humans and nature during the baroque period? Curator: Well, hunting was certainly a royal sport, signifying dominance over nature, so consider what the imagery suggests about human power in contrast to the raw animal presence. Is it possible Ridinger used it to evoke cultural memory in his patrons, reaffirming class and position? How do you read the tension in the print? Editor: That's a great point about hunting. The print almost feels like a trophy, in a way, celebrating the hunt, but it also kind of mourns the animal's captivity in the composition. Curator: Precisely. These contrasting symbols—freedom, capture, power, sacrifice—reflect enduring human tensions when facing the natural world. Considering this further enriches the meaning and weight the image carried, and still does, don’t you think? Editor: I agree. Looking at the stag not just as an animal, but as a cluster of symbols—it unlocks so many interpretations about cultural memory and its meaning. I would never have picked up on that. Curator: Art encourages this sort of interpretation!